Band saw



July l5, 1952 w. F. WELLS 2,602,987

l BAND sAw Filedy March 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jy 15, i952 l w. F. WELLS 2,602,987

` BAND SAW Filed MaICh 5, 1947 v 5 `Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

@MEM

TORNE Y.

W. F. WELLS July E5, 95

BAND SAW 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 5, 1947 NVENTOR Patented `uly 15, 1952 BAND SAW William F. Wells, Three Rivers, Mich., assigner to Wells Manufacturing Rivers, Mich. l

Company, Three Applications/.Tarek 5, 1947, serial Nc. 732,6;9

(el. 2st-68) Claims. l

This invention relates to improvementsinband saws.

The principal objects of this invention are First, to provide a band saW for cutting metal, which is hydraulically operated to provide anniform cutting speed. Second, to4 provide a band saWfor ,cutting metal, with automatic controls which will operate the saw at a maximum cutting speed regardless of hardspots or'variations in cross section of. the

stockbeing cut.

r Third, to provide a .band saW for cutting metal which need not tov be supervised during the cutting operation. f

Fourth, to provide aband saw for cutting metal With accurately .controlled hydraulicmeans for raising and lowering thesaw. l

Fifth, to provide a hydraulic lift fora band saw or other tool which 1s especially sensitiveto changes in the hydraulic pressure. r

Other objects and advantages of theinvention will appear from the following description. The invention vis dened and pointed out in the c1aims,` i

The drawings, of which there are three sheets, illustrate a preferred formof my band saw.

-4Fig. .1` is a` front elevational view partially broken away in cross section showing the saw in operating position. Y Y

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the plane 2 2 in Fig. 1. y

. Fig. 3is a fragmentary elevational View of one of the saw guides withpart of the saw regulat ing mechanism in placethereon. Y

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevational View Aof the guide arm shown in Fig. 3. Y

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the plane 5 5 in Fig. 1. l

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the wiring connections of the saw.

In the drawings thereference characterl indicates a base member forrthe saw onwhich is mounted a bed'Z provided with a vise 3 for holding the stock to be cut as indicated bythe dotted lines at 4. Securedv to one end ofthe base are a pair of vertical guide membersv which support the frame 6 onwhich the saw 'I is mounted by means of suitablepulley wheelsf enclosed in guards .9. The frame f6 is provided with sliding connections I 0 byimeans of which it is slidable vertically on the guides;

Vboss II formed on theunder"sideliofthe.

frame is shapedito,4 receivea,bearingA I Zwhlch journals theupper gend of vialift rod I 3. The lift rod extends downwardly intofthe hydraulic cylinder I 4 and isv provided with apiston I5 positioned within the cylinder. fThe'pist'on 'andflift rod are thus arranged to raise and lowerfthe frame 6 and the saw 'l relative'to the .bed 2 under pulley wheel on the frameand which also" ports a pair of guide barsII over the-workingy portion of the saw. The guide bars I'I 'are'each provided with a pair of rotatablerollers. vI8 Which are positioned on either side of the saw bladeaii'd locate the cutting portion of the stock being cut. f

An electric motor I9 is secured to the underside of the frame S and is arranged to Vdrive the saw through a belt and pulleyfarrangementlif which is connected to suitable reduction gearing 2| mounted in the guard member 9. The shaft for the drivingvsaw pulley 8 extendsthroughthe guard 9 and is connected by means of a universal joint 22 to the vertical gear shaft 23 mounted in a bracket 24 on the under side of llgugard. The gear shaft 23 is connected by means of the drivingy chain 25 with tl 1e upper end of the lift rod I 3.

Thus when the saw motor I9 and saw are rotating, the lift rod I3 and piston I5 willberotating Within the cylinder I4. Rotation of the lift rod and its piston make the lift rod more sensitive to changes in pressure in the cylinder since the static friction between the walls of the cylinder and the, piston is already broken or o vercomejby the rotationof the piston. Thereforathe piston and lift rod will react promptly towchangesof pressure in the cylinder I4 to raise or lowerwthe frame 6 and the saw carried thereon.` n Y n Positioned underneath the base l is a reservoir 2S which is arranged to hold a quantityof oil or conduit 32 to a Valve 33 controlled by the electric so1enoid34. The valve 33 is connected by means of the conduit-.35 to a pressure regulating valve indicated at 3G. From the regulating Vvalve 36 the hydraulic system of thevsaw is re-lconnected,

' to the reservoir 26 by the conduitv3'l. A return oil line38 extends from thetop of the cylinder` I4 to the reservoir 26 to relieve the pressurelnethe saw relative 3 hind the piston I5 and return any oil which may leak behind the piston to the reservoir.

Mounted on the side of the base I is an electrical toggle switch 39 arranged to be turned on and off by vertical movement of the control rod 40. The control rod 40 is slidably connected with a rod 4I secured to the frame of the saw and movable vertically therewith. The lower end of the rod 4I is looped around the control rod 40 and arranged to lift or depress the control rod by engagement with an upper stop 42 or the lower stop 43. The stops 42 and 43 are adjustable on the control rod 49 to adapt the saw to various sizes and shapes of stock to be cut. Y

Mounted on the side of the bed 2 is a moto control switch 44 arranged to control the operation of the saw motor I9 independently of the pump motor. A toggle switch 45 connected .in series with the switch 39 is mechanically connected .to the push rod 46 so that it ,may be closed either b y pulling out on the control knob 41 or by the trip lever 48 on the back of the 'saw bed being engaged by the guard member 9 when the saw and frame 6 are at the bottom of their travel, see Fig. 5. The switch may, of course, be opened by pushing in the control knob 4l.

The solenoid 34-which operates the Valve 33 is arranged to close the `valve when the winding' of the solenoid is energized. As is indicated in the wiring diagram in Fig. 6, the solenoid 34 has one end constantly connected to the current supply line indicated at 49 while its other end is connected at 50 tothe toggle switch 45 so that closing the switch 45 will energize the solenoid and close the valve. The solenoid is further connected to a microswitch 5I mounted on lone of the saw guides I'I. The microswitch 5I is provided with a spring pressed plunger 52 which carries .a roller 53 arranged to ride along vthe upper edge of the saw 1. The roller 53 is lpivotally supported on the saw guide I'I as is best indicated in Figs. 3 and 4) so that upwarddeilection of the saw such as will be caused by too great a pressure of the saw on the stock, will raisethe roller 'and the plunger 52 to close the microswitch. Thus', the microswitch -5-I is arranged to energize the fsolenoid 34 and close the valve 33 regardless of the position of the toggle switch 45.

The microswitch 5| is of the type arranged toY bef actuated by very small variations in pressure on its plunger and so is effec-tive in quickly' detecting variations in the cutting speed of thesaw.

The operation of the saw from' an at-'rest position with the frame 6 and saw l in lowered position is as follows:

The toggle switch 45 wil-l be in closed position, the push rod 46 having been thrown to the front of the machine by engagement of the saw .guard with the trip lever 48. Therefore, the solenoid 34 will be energized and the valve 33 lwill be closed. Theframe 6 being in lowered position, the rod 4I will have engaged the stop 43 and closed the toggle switch 39 so that an electrical circuit is completed through the two toggle switches andv the pump motor 28 is energized toA operate the pump. The conduit 32 being closed ofi' by the valve 33 as explained before, the output o'i the' pump will be directed through the conduit 3lA to the cylinder I4 to raise the lift rod I3 and frame 6.

When the frame Ii has reached the topv lirn'itof` itsV travel 'as determined bythe position of the stop-42,the rod 4I will lift the control rod v40 to' open the toggle switch 33- and stop the lpump motor. The oil in the cylinder having -no open 4 escape passage, the saw will remain in its raised position until released by the operator.

At this time the stock to be sawed may be positioned in the vise 3 and the saw motor I9 started by pressing the switch 44. Operation of the motor I9 will rotate the saw through the guide rolls I9 and will also rotate the lift rod I3 and piston I5 in the cylinder I4. During this adjustment of the stock the saw has been held raised by the action of the solenoid 34 which is energized through the toggle switch 45. The operator may now set the pressure regulating valve 3l to an opening corresponding to the desired rate of descent of the saw as determined by the hardness and size of the stock, and by pushing in on the control button 4l will de-energize the solenoid 34 permitting the valve 33 to open. This creates an open passage from the cylinder I4 through the conduits 3l, 32 and valve 33, conduit 36, pressure regulating valve 3'I and conduit 38, back to the reservoir 26. TheY rate at which the oil will pass from the cylinder to the reservoir and therefore the rate of descent of the frame and gsaw, is determined by the size of the opening in the' Yregulating valve 3'I.

As the frame 6 and saw 'I descend by force of gravity against the stock 4, the stock is cut away by the saw and if the regulating valve setting .is correct and the stock is uniform in size and hardness, vthe saw will descend through the stock at a uniform rate. However, should the saw strike a hardened portion in the stock or the size oI-'tfhe stock change in cross-section, a greater load will be thrown on the saw and the saw will deflect upf wardly due to its inability to cut away' the stock as fast as the frame descends. This upward deflection of the saw in the saw guides I1 will lift up on the roller 53 and plunger 52 to close -the microswitch 5I. Closing the microswitch ener-4 gizes the solenoid as was explained before and operates to close the valve 33 so that no more oil may escape from the cylinder I4 and the descent of the frame is stopped, permitting the cutting action of the saw to catch up with the frame,v at

'5 which time the saw will reassume its alignment between the guide rolls I8 and Vrelease the ,roller 53 and plunger 52 to open the microswitch.. The saw will then continue to operate inthe normal manner until another obstruction is encountered in the stock.

When the saw has iinished its cut through the stock and reached the bottom of its travel the guard 9 will engage the trip lever 48 to close thev toggle switch 45 as was explained previously, land energize `the solenoid to close the valve 33. At the same time the control rods 49 and 4I operate to close the toggle switch 39 to sta-rt the pump motor and the frame 6 and saw will be raised to their upper starting positions to commence another cycle.

From the above description it should be apparent that my saw maybe adjusted by means of the pressure regulating valve 3l and the-- spring-pressed push rod 52 so that a substantially uniform saw pressure may be maintained completely through a out in the metal rstockwithout supervision ofthe machine. Depending upon the size and hardness of the stock to be cut, the saw may be adjusted for maximumr rate of descent consistent with the strength Vand sharpness of the saw, and all that an Voperator needs todo is to adjust the .stock after each cut and restart the machine by'pushingv in the control button 41 to open the toggle switch 45'. Thus, onerman'maysupervise sevraimachines.-

switch indicates that the saw is being overloaded or that the composition of the stock is verydr-` regular. 'If the microswitch does not operate at all, the frame and saw are descending too slowly and full advantage is not being taken of the power of the saw. Y

I have described my invention lin va highly practical commercial form. No attempt has been made to describe other forms or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure will permit persons skilled in the art to make such changesl as are desired'. o.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asl new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In combination with a machine for cutting metal stock and having a base member having a bed plate adapted to hold the stock, vertical slides mounted on said base, a frame slidable on said slides, a band saw rotatably supported on said frame, a motor carried by said frame and arranged to drive said band saw, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said base and having a piston arranged to raise and lower said frame on said slides, means connected between said motor and said piston for rotating said piston, a hydraulic pump mounted in said base, motor means for driving said pump, a conduit connecting said pump with said cylinder for supplying uid under pressure to raise said piston and frame, an exhaust conduit from said cylinder, a manually controllable variable opening valve positioned in said exhaust conduit, means for controlling vertical movement of said saw comprising, an electrically operable valve positioned in said exhaust conduit and operative when energized to close said conduit, a switch mounted on said frame and responsive to defiection of said saw for energizing said electrically operable valve, second switch means operable by movement of said frame to its lower and upper limits for respectively starting and stopping said motor means for driving said pump, and a manually operable switch connected to said valve and in parallel with said first switch for energizing said valve independently of said rst switch, said manual switch being arranged to be closed automatically by movement of said frame to the bottom of its travel.

2. In combination with a machine for cutting metal stock and having a base member having a bed plate adapted to hold the stock, vertical slides mounted on said base, a frame slidable on said slides, a band saw rotatably supported on said frame, a motor carried by said frame and arranged to drive said band saw, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said base and having a piston arranged to raise and lower said frame on said slides, a hydraulic pump mounted in said base, motor means for driving said pump, a conduit connecting said pump with said cylinder for supplying fluid under pressure to raise said piston and frame, an exhaust conduit from said cylinder, a manually controllable variable opening valve positioned' in said exhaust oo nliiiii;I

means for controlling vertical movementfof :Said saw comprising, an electrically operable valve positioned in said exhaust conduit and operative when energized to close said conduit, a switch mounted on said frame and responsive to deilection of said saw for operating said electrically controlled valve, a second switch arranged to start said motor means for driving said pump when said framevreaches the bottom of its travel and stop said motor means when said frame reaches the top of its travel, a third switch connected in parallel with said rst switch for operating said valve, said third switch being manually operable, and means engageable between said frame a'tits lower limit of travel and said third switch for actuating said third switch'.

3.1 In combinationf-with a machine for cutting metal stock and having a base member having a bed plate Vadapted to hold the stock, vertical slides mounted onlsaid base, a frame slidablevon said slides, a band saw rotatably supported on said frame, almotor,v Vcarried by said frameV and arranged to drive said band saw, and a hydraulic cylinder mounted on said base and having` a piston arrangedto ,raise andjlower'said frame on said slides, means;for fa cilitating;- movement of said frame comprising, means connected between said motor and said piston for rotating said piston, a hydraulic pump mounted in said base, motor means for driving said pump, a conduit connecting said pump with said cylinder for supplying iiuid under pressure to raise said piston and frame, an exhaust conduit from said cylinder, a variable opening valve positioned in said exhaustconduit, an electrically operable valve positioned in said exhaust conduit, and a switch mounted on said frame and responsive to deflection of said saw to close said electrically controlled valve.

4. In combination with a machine for cutting metal and having a frame, a band saw rotatable around said frame, a guide arm secured to said frame and arranged to guide said saw adjacent to the working portion thereof, an electrical switch mounted on said arm and adapted to be opened and closed by relatively short movement of its mechanism, a follower pivotally mountedv on said arm and arranged to ride upon said saw, an actuating member extending between said follower and the mechanism of said switch, and hydraulic means arranged to slidably support said frame on said machine, means for controlling said hydraulic means comprising, electrically controlled valve means connected in said hydraulic means for permitting said hydraulic means to lower said frame, said switch being electrically connected with said valve means to stop the descent of said frame upon deflection of said saw relative to said arm.

5. In combination with a machine for cutting metal and having a frame, a band saw rotatable around said frame, a guide arm .secured to said frame and arranged to guide said saw adjacent to the working portion thereof, an electrical switch mounted on said arm and adapted to be opened and closed by relatively short movement of its mechanism, a follower member pivotally mounted on said arm and arranged to ride upon said saw, an adjustable actuating bar extending between said follower member and the mechanism of said switch, and hydraulic means arranged to slidably support said frame on said machine, means for controlling said hydraulic means comprising electrically controlled valve acont-9a7 7 means connected in said' hydraulic means for permitting said hydraulic means to lower .said frame, said switch v'being electrically connected with said valve means .to stop the .descent vof said fra-ine upon Adeflection of said saw relative to said arm.-

6.V In combination with a machine for cutting metal and having a base, a frame movable Aon Said base, a Yband saw mounted on said frame, and a hydraulic cylinder Iand .piston connected between said 4base and -s'aid vframe for .controlling the descent of said frame relative vto said base, means for facilitating and controlling 'the' opera-- tion of said hydraulic means comprising, means driven with-said saw for rotating said piston .in said cylinder, an electrically controlled .valve connected to the outletof said hydraulic means, switch means carried onsaid'frame and voperable upon deflectiono 'Said saw to .actuate said valve means; lto stop the descent of said frame, and other switch means lconnected in parallel with said atomatic switch for :actuating said valve, said other switch means being manually operable and mechanically operable by engagement ,be tween said 'frame on said base when said frame reaches its lower limit of travel.

7; In a sawing machine the combination of 8 work supporting means, a saw unit mountedl for' vertical reciprocating movement relative Ato said work supporting means, :and means connected between said support means and saw unit ,for controlling the gravity .feed of said saw unit including a hydraulic cylinder, va piston coacting therewith and provided with a rotatable piston rod supportingly engaging said saw unit, said saw unit .including saw driving means, and 'drive ing connections from said saw driving means to said .piston rod, wh'erebythe piston rodis rotated to minimize Istatic 'engagement 'thereof with said cylinder. A

REFERENCES CITED.

Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this 'patent-z STATES PATENTS Number Name Date .1,372,903 :Perkins 'et al. r r Mar. 29,- 192i 1,421,107 Stowell June 27, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 800,123 France nagegaan-s Apr. 20, 1936 

